A New Danger
by TheWolf32
Summary: After touchdown back on Earth, the medics take Captain Aya to the emergency room. When she is recovering, Taylor tells her about his experience on the moon. But there's new danger that's not visible at first.
1. Chapter 1

**I apologise for leaving this story for so long I guess I lost my muse for a bit :( But good news! I shall be uploading a new chapter this week :D**

 **By the way thanks so much for the follows, favourites and reviews!**

The ship landed back on Earth and the crew took Captain Aya took the emergency room. Taylor sat anxiously waiting. Even though the pod said she is stable and the medic said she would survive, he still couldn't help but worry. A thought kept running through his mind; what if he had chosen to look for the crew, instead of going to the flight deck? Aya would still be stuck in the ship and she would have died and become a host for the glowing green parasites.

But she is here now and the medic had stabilized her on the spaceship, but he needed to get her to a hospital. Taylor had taken off his spacesuit and put on trainers and a jacket. He placed around the waiting room, he couldn't stand still.

He sighed and sat down again. He really hoped they wouldn't long, he just wanted to tell her everything he's seen and for her to make a full recovery. He paced around the room again, he had no idea how long it had been.

Eventually, the doors opened and the medics wheeled Aya out and into the Recovery room. Taylor stood up and asked the nurses if he could visit her.

"Yes, but she's still sedated."

"That's fine. Where is she?"

"This way. But don't sit on the bed and do you have any illnesses?" The nurse asked.

Taylor shook his head. "The medic on the spaceship checked me out. I'm fine."

"Ok. This way." The nurse walked down the hall and through a double door, then down another hallway with rooms on both sides.

The nurse stopped at Room 32. "Be quiet and remember what I said. Don't sit on the bed."

"Okay. Thank you." Taylor said, then walked in. Just as the nurse said, Aya is sleeping, with an IV bag and a heart monitor. Taylor took a seat next to the bed. "Hey. When you wake you, I'm going to tell you about this crazy experience I had when we crash landed. I just want to say, it was never your fault. There was this pulse and it hit the Varia. Colby got me into an escape pod, but... she didn't make it."

Taylor took a breath and thought of his friends. They were still back on that moon, possibly still having the parasites controlling them, or the parasites went out of them and now... He didn't want to think about it. He wanted to save them, he really did. But they had died when the spaceship crashed and the parasites had only controlled them.

"What do you think we should do? Once you get better?" Taylor asked, then shook his head. Why talk to her, when she couldn't respond? Then he remembered his lesson on people who were in Aya's position; listening to a familiar voice might make them recover faster.

At least Aya's breathing is normal. No more rattling or shallow breaths.

"Maybe the moon gave you super healing powers or something, huh? Or just green saliva. That's what I got... and green puke. But you didn't need to know that." He lightly squeezed Aya's hand. "Please wake up. I couldn't stand it, if you didn't. But your going to wake up. I know it."

He stayed by Aya's side until the nurse came in to tell him that visiting hours were over, but even then he didn't want to leave her. What if she woke up when he wasn't here? Where was he supposed to stay tonight? He didn't leave right away. He stayed until the hall was quiet apart from the nurses.

"Excuse, visiting hours were over 20 minutes ago." The nurse said, coming in with a new IV bag.

"You have no idea what I went through to save her. What if something happens and I'm not here? What if she wakes up?"

The nurse looked genuinely sympathetic. "If you give me your contact details, we will get in touch with you if there is any change."

Taylor still didn't want to leave Aya's side, but he knew he couldn't spend the night here. He had to see if the spaceship crew were still here. He could camp out in the ship and come and see her again, the second visiting hours had started.

He stood up and sighed. "I'll be back in the morning, promise." He gave her hand a last squeeze then left, looking back one last time, before the door closed.

He gave the details of the crew to the nurses as Aya's nurse had suggested, then he left.


	2. Chapter 2

**I apologise for leaving this story for nearly a whole year, I guess I lost my muse for a bit and was busy with college :(**

 **But good news! The chapters will be uploaded more regularly now I have more free time!**

 **By the way thanks so much for the follows, favourites and reviews!**

Taylor went back to the ship's crew quarters but couldn't sleep. Captain Aya kept spinning around his mind.

In the end, he gave up sleeping and went up to the cockpit where navigator Mari Lee was checking over the controls.

"Hello, Taylor. How's your captain?"

"Still asleep, but the medics say she'll be fine. I can go to see her again tomorrow."

"You should sleep. There's no use worrying, she is in good hands."

"I have permission to be worried, since I nearly died rescuing her."

Mari sighed. "Well at least try getting some rest. Artesa wants to check you over for radiation poisoning in the morning."

"I feel fine." He specifically left out the part about having green spit and green tinted puke.

"Well you don't become ill immediately, so it's best to get tested now than wait for the symptoms, isn't it?"

Taylor didn't want to agree, but he knew she was right. It could be too late to do anything by the time he exhibits symptoms.

He sighed, "Fine. I'll see you in the morning."

"Goodnight."

Taylor left the cockpit and headed back to the crew quarters. He passed the door to the cargo bay, too tired to notice the faint blue glow around it.

Taylor went to bed not realising how tired he was, falling into a restless sleep.

The next morning, Taylor woke up. It was strange, after three days on that moon he would've thought he had gotten used to the sunlight, but he guessed he had been on the White Star longer.

He rubbed his eyes and got up, dressing into non pajama-type clothes and headed to the galley for something to eat.

Dr. Joseph Artesa was fixing himself some toast when Taylor walked in. "Morning Taylor. How you feeling?"

"Fine. I'm going to check on Captain Aya today."

"I need to check you over for radiation poisoning, since you said you slept next to a faulty nuclear reactor?"

"Yeah, but after I'm checking up on her first."

"It's not a good idea to put it off. Sym-"

"Yeah, I heard it all from Mari. Symptoms don't show themselves up at first. I'll be fine, it's just a quick visit."

Artesa sighed. "Fine, eat something at least."

"I'm not hungry." Taylor would have left it at that, had Captain Shepard not come in.

"Have you eaten something, Taylor?"

"Yeah."

"No he hasn't and he refuses to be tested." Taylor hated Artesa right now. He just wanted to check up on Aya.

"Eat something, Taylor. I'm not having you faint because you're in a hurry."

"I just want to check up on her." Taylor tried side stepping her, but Shepard stopped him.

"Aya's going to be fine. She isn't going anywhere. Just have some toast and let Artesa do some tests, it won't take longer than a few minutes."

Taylor could tell the Captain wasn't going to let up on this, so he sighed and buttered a piece of bread and ate it quickly.

"Come to the Med Bay." Artesa led the way and Taylor reluctantly followed quickly.

In the Med Bay, Taylor sat down on the chair and fidgeted nervously.

"Have you been vomiting?" Artesa asked.

"I thought you were taking blood tests?"

"A little patience goes a long way."

Taylor groaned. "No."

"Have you been exposed to radiation before?"

"Dentist." Taylor could feel his impatience getting worse.

"Have you experienced any abnormal signs, since you slept by the reactor?"

"Can you do the blood tests now?"

"Fine. But don't blame me if you faint or drop dead because you didn't let me test you beforehand."

"Whatever." Taylor rolled up his sleeve as Artesa prepared the needle and stuck it in his arm. "Ow."

"Wuss."

"Hey, it's a sharp pointy needle you're sticking me with, I'm allowed to be in pain."

"Whatever." Artesa took the needle out and typed something on the computer. "You'll be pleased to know you're free to go."

Taylor was out the room before he could finish his sentence. He walked along the corridor to the door that led outside.

As he around the corner, he let out a scream which he _really_ hoped no-one heard. There standing in front of him, which he was 100% sure was impossible was Colby.

But Colby had died when the Varia had hit the moon and she had been occupied by the green aliens. But here she was standing right in front of him, with her auburn hair falling around her shoulders.

"Taylor. I thought I'd never find you. You'd never think this was a big ship, did you?"

She was _speaking._ To _him_. She was literally defying all the laws of physics and science standing her and talking to him.

"Taylor? You okay?"

"Y-Y-You're dead." It was the only thing he could get out of his completely perplexed brain.

"What are you talking about? Well, I guess I remember us crashing on the moon, but then I must have somehow survived and it was just by luck I got onto your rescue ship before it left. I thought it was strange no-one saw me, though."

Taylor's brain needed downtime to process this information. He fainted.

He next woke up in the Med Bay with Artesa and Elaina Shepard talking. Taylor rubbed his eyes and sat up.

"What did I tell you." Artesa said, rather than asked.

"I bet you've waiting ages, to say 'I told you so.'"

"He's serious, Taylor. How long were you out?" Shepard asked.

"A few minutes maybe?"

"What were you doing?"

He thought back. Right before he fainted, he could have been sure he saw his dead crew member Colby. It must be from the lack of food or something. He thought. "Walking along the hall." The alternative would be too much to believe.

The door opened and Mari brought in a plate of toast and a cup of orange juice. "Eat up. Can't have you fainting again."

"I don't feel-"

"Eat." Shepard cut him off with an obvious order. So he sighed and ate the food. "How's his blood, Doc?"

"Just mild radiation. He'll live."

"Makes sure he eats that and check for concussion." Shepard ordered again, which Artesa nodded, then she left.

"Does radiation make you see things?" Taylor asked.

"Why?" Mari asked.

Movement from the door caught his eye. Aw man, I really hoped I was dreaming. Colby walked up to him looking concerned.

"Are you alright?" Mari asked, looking to where Taylor was staring, but she couldn't see anything.

"Uh, yeah I'm fine." I knocked my head, that's why I'm seeing her. Or something grief related. She's not here,she can't be.

But there she was, as real as she was when she was alive.

"You don't look it." Artesa grabbed a little torch and tilted Taylor's head up, shining it in his eyes. "You don't have any signs of concussion. I think you should rest for a while, at least."

"No, I have see Aya." Taylor got down, but Mari pulled him back. "Shepard said you have to eat."

"Is Aya alive?" Colby asked. "I tried looking for her but I couldn't get to the cockpit from where I was."

"Yeah she is."

"What are you talking about?" Artesa asked.

Taylor took the orange juice and drank it in one go and took the toast with him. "I'll eat it on the way. I'll see you later."

He left the room as quickly as possible ignoring Mari's and Artesa's calls to come back.

"Why can't they see me?" Colby asked, catching up to Taylor.

"You're not real. You're not real. You're not real." He guessed if he said it enough times, he would stop hallucinating dead people.

"Taylor!"

Taylor stopped and turned around. He cast a glance up and down Colby then hesitantly reached out and took hold of her wrist. He expected his hand to go right through like a ghost, but she was solid. "You died on the Varia and you got occupied by the glowing green aliens. The ship left you on the moon, how can you be here?"

"Glowing… What are you talking about? I survived and tried to find the others but when I couldn't I left and walked… south-west I think until a ship came down and you got on it. I got on too, but no-one noticed me."

"You didn't survive, I know that for a fact, I saw your body."

"Taylor?" A familiar voice nearly made him faint again. He turned around and by some impossibility Captain Aya was standing there.


	3. Chapter 3

**Thank you so much for the reviews on the last chapter I super appreciate it! :D**

 **By the way I'm going to be using Captain Aya's newly discovered first name Renee. It's such a nice name :)**

I am going crazy. That is the only thing that made sense to Taylor right now. First Colby comes back from the dead and now Aya wakes up from the coma she was in to come and say hello. After three days on the moon, my brain has finally given up.

"How are you awake?"

"I woke up and the doctors say there's nothing wrong with me, so I got discharged."

"But… You had a steel beam in your chest and you were barely breathing. You had a collapsed lung. You should still be in the hospital asleep or at least in intensive care."

"I remember crashing, that's it. I must have been unconscious quite a while."

"Can Aya see me?" Colby asked.

"Aya… Actually, do you mind if I call you Renee?" It would be easier to call her by her first name, Taylor thought, since Shepard was the captain here.

"I don't mind."

"Right, you know that Colby, Adair, Antoine and Trotter died right?"

"Yes."

"Well Colby's speaking to me. I know I'm crazy and everything, but she's standing right here and she's obviously a ghost-"

"Taylor, I can see her." Renee said and she looked directly at Colby.

"W-What? But she said she got on Shepard's ship and no-one saw her. How do you explain that?"

"Maybe she hid?"

"I'm still here." Colby said, crossing her arms. "I don't know how they didn't notice me. But once I on the ship I went into the cargo room to hide and something must have knocked me out. Everything turned blue and I've just recently woke up."

"There's nothing in there to knock you out. Everything's on the floor or hanging on the wall." This was making his head hurt. He needed to unload on someone. "Colby stay here, since you're invisible. Renee come with me. I want you to meet Mari."

"You're the captain now?" Renee asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I need someone else to see her. I need to know I'm not going completely crazy."

"You've had a traumatic time, it's completely nor-"

"It's not normal!" Taylor cut in, feeling his frustration building up. "Colby was dead. She died in the Varia crash and then she was inhabited by the occupiers. You were in a coma with a steel beam in your lung. How long has it been? A few days, a few weeks? You don't completely heal from a wound like that and walk out of hospital!"

"Taylor?" Mari asked, coming out of her room. "Why are you shouting?"

"You're seeing her, right?" Taylor asked, praying she would agree with him.

"Yes… What is this about?"

"And you can see her as well?" Taylor pointed to Colby who was standing against the wall, looking concerned at Taylor.

"Who are you pointing at?"

"That's it. I'm going crazy." Taylor went to his room and shut the room. He collapsed on the bed, holding his head in his hand, very close to pulling out his hair. Okay breathe… You can handle hostile body snatching aliens (almost) so you can handle ghosts.

A knock sounded on the door. "Taylor, it's Mari. Can I come in?"

Taylor took another deep breath. "Yeah, might as well."

The door opened and Mari stepped in. "What is it, Taylor? You've been freaking out since your visit with Renee in hospital."

"I can see Colby. She was a crew member on the Varia and she was like you; wanting to take care of everyone and make sure they were all right. But when the ship crashed, she died along with four others and Renee went into a coma and nearly died because of a steel beam in her lung. She was still in a coma when when we touched down on Earth, she can't have just woken up."

Mari, who had sat down next to him put an arm around his shoulders. "Maybe you're grieving, or it's just delayed shock. Things happen which you can't explain. Get some rest and just be happy Renee is better okay?"

Taylor breathed a huge sigh and laid down. "I haven't slept in a while."

"Maybe that's it."

"Alright. Goodnight then, I guess."

Mari smiled, reassuringly. "I'll see you later."

It was midnight, when Taylor woke up. He still felt groggy and checked the time. He would usually sleep through anything, but if his life is anything to go by recently, it's safe to say his sleeping patterns have changed.

He got up and left his room looking for the toilet, when he noticed something out of the corner of his eye.

He rubbed his eyes and looked again. There was a faint glow coming from the cargo bay. Cautiously making his way there, he kept a lookout for the ghost of Colby but she was nowhere to be found. He hoped with everything he had that she had been imagined and only Renee was the last survivor (apart from him). Or maybe he had dreamt her too and she was still in the coma?

Shaking the thought from his head, he rounded the corner to the cargo bay the glow becoming brighter and more blue as he got closer. Just as Colby explained.

Standing outside the door, he looked around but there was still no sign of Colby or anyone else living that was.

I can do this. Gathering up all his courage, Taylor keyed in the code and the door opened, blinding him for a second, before it disappeared.

When he took his hands away, his mouth dropped. No, no, no, no. It was his still-exhausted mind playing tricks on him. Where was Colby? Or Renee?

He closed the door and went back to his room. When I wake up, everything is going to be fine.

 **What or who do you think Taylor saw?**


End file.
